


A Call to Arms

by idrilhadhafang



Category: The Lord of the Rings (Movies), The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, F/M, Gen, The One Ring - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-07
Updated: 2013-02-07
Packaged: 2017-11-28 13:29:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/674920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look inside the minds of several of and outside the crew of the USS Fellowship, before they head to destroy the Ring of Power.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Call to Arms

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
> Author's Notes: Hope it's all right, really.

If nothing else, Frodo Baggins is unsure of how he feels about being made captain for this mission. Or at least something resembling the Captain. Even aboard the FELLOWSHIP (a fitting name, considering their circumstances), there is something in him that cannot help but worry about the matter of venturing out into the unknown. He has known nothing but home, Hobbiton, the rolling fields in front of him. The party tree. It seems so long ago that they were just celebrating his uncle's party, and now he's going on this impossible mission towards certain doom.   
  
Still, he's not alone. That enough is clear. At least he has Sam, and Merry, and Pippin, and the others. Still, he cannot help but be afraid. The Ring of Power -- he swears that he can hear it whispering to him, calling to him.  _Take me. Take me and all the power in the universe will be yours..._  
  
But he cannot give in. Not now. He must stay strong. Otherwise...otherwise, all the universe may certainly be doomed.  
  
***  
  
She doesn't want to let him go away alone. And yet at the same time, she has no choice but to do so. After all, they both have their duties. She has to stay home and help defend Rivendell against the Enemy's invading ships. It's only right.   
  
Arwen of Rivendell has never been one to follow the rules. Ever since her mother's torture at the hands of Sauron's orcs after being captured on a diplomacy mission, her father has been overprotective of her. Elladan and Elrohir too. They have poured more of their energy into fighting Mordor's forces than ever, and if nothing else, she cannot help but fear for them both. If, in fighting Mordor, they may become the ones that they swore to destroy.   
  
She fears for them both. Fears for her father, who is trying vainly to keep Rivendell standing even in the darkest of times. Not that that is always easy. But that is why she stands by him, supports him, makes sure that he doesn't fall.   
  
Even saying goodbye to Aragorn is far from easy. He tries to push her away, saying that if nothing else, she has an option for a life without him. He is wrong, of course.   
  
She has made her choice long ago and she will never truly leave him.  
  
So she has him keep the Evenstar. It is more than just a token of her affection, after all -- it's a way to at least keep them bonded, and for her to let him know when trouble is near. As long as they are close, he will be all right.  
  
Of course he will. He has survived the wilds, after all, fighting off Mordor's forces in the wilderness. Of course he will be all right.  
  
At least, Arwen can only hope.  
  
***  
  
Aragorn doesn't want to leave the one he loves behind. If nothing else, he doesn't want to do what Elrond says, because while he can see the Lord of Rivendell's point, at the same time, he loves Arwen, and she him. Still, he knows full well that human and elven relationships do not work out. Elves live near-forever, and humans age and decay. The thought of inflicting that grief on Arwen...  
  
Still, he tries to dissuade her. "There is a possibility for a better life for you," he says, "Far beyond war, beyond grief, beyond despair."  
  
And yet she does not listen. "Estel," she says. "Do you truly believe that I would leave you in your time of need? You are my life, and more than that."  
  
She folds his hand back over the Evenstar. "It was a gift," she says, "I implore you -- keep it."  
  
He smiles, but it is faint and sad, and thus disheartening to her. Still, he keeps the Evenstar, and even as he leaves, he casts one last glance at her, as if to reassure her that he will return from this long, hard road, no matter what happens.  
  
And she stands alone, amongst the other elves defending Rivendell against the Orcs, and hopes more than anything else that he is right.  
  
***  
  
To say that Boromir does not trust this new Captain is an understatement. After all, he is more than qualified to lead this mission. He is strong, and he is wise, and experienced in the ways of war, far more than this Halfling who knows nothing of such things. And somehow, Elrond, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas...they do not trust him. If nothing else, he can swear that they are sending suspicious glances at him, as if worried about what he may attempt.  
  
Do they think he may claim the Ring for his own? Isildur's Bane? The bane of his bloodline? How can they have such little faith in him?  
  
On the other hand, he supposes that if nothing else, it is no surprise. The elves do not trust the race of Men; they believe that they are weak and easily corrupted, never mind that Men came to their aid, sent ships to help them fight Sauron's massive fleet over Mordor itself. And somehow, because Isildur wanted to use the Ring for the good of Gondor...  
  
The elves do not know that Gondor is fighting a constantly losing battle with Mordor. They do not know that this Ring of Power, the link to Mordor itself, may be the key to ending this terrible war. The elves know nothing of anything. And Boromir cannot help but despise them as a result.   
  
These elves know nothing. Lord Elrond knows nothing. And that will be not only their downfall, but the downfall of all of Middle Earth. How can they possibly take it so lightly?  
  
***  
  
No one on the USS FELLOWSHIP seems to trust one another thus far. If nothing else, it is disappointing. And yet at the same time, Gandalf supposes that he cannot blame them. After all, this is a difficult, delicate situation, and the Ring is no doubt not helping anything at all. Feeding into their suspicions of one another, whispering to the other -- Frodo has recounted to Gandalf how it seems to be whispering to him. "There is something not right about it, Gandalf," he had said. "I do not feel as if I am qualified for this mission."  
  
But Gandalf knows more than anything else that that is not the case. "You are more than qualified, Frodo," he had told him then. "You will see it in the end."  
  
And yet at the same time, there is something in Gandalf that cannot help but feel uneasy. He only hopes that he and Elrond made the right decision. It is not the matter of choosing Frodo that they are afraid of, simply the matter of possibly sending him to his death.  
  
Gandalf only hopes that they will succeed. He has a mission to complete, as a matter of stopping one of their oldest enemies. The crew of the FELLOWSHIP have a mission to complete.  
  
They cannot afford to fail. 


End file.
